Companion Planting

Marigolds are a great example of a companion plant. They deter pests from vegetable plants such as aphids and will repel nematodes.

Tall sunflowers planted on the west side of the garden can act as shade to protect greens and other more sensitive plants from too much heat. In the fall, plant peas on a trellis and to shade cool weather vegetables like oriental cabbages. The peas provide shade and nitrogen to the soil.

Sstriped cucumber beetles are a persistent pest for squash. The beetles feed the plants and transmit bacterial wilt, which can kill vegetables. Cucumber beetles hone in on the "smell" of the cucumber plant. If given a choice, they prefer cucumbers to other species like cantaloupe plants. In a community garden or large field, trap the cucumber beetles by placing a couple flats of cucumber outside the garden site. The emerging beetle would likely be attracted to the concentrated cucumber smell. You would only have to spray or kill the beetles on those flats, eliminating or reducing the need to spray the entire field or garden site.

A crop that is used to protect another crop is a nurse crop. Often we plant rye between fields to reduce the wind velocity over the garden or field. The rye is planted in strips between fields. The young transplants in the spring are protected by that crop. What's next? Cut the rye down before it goes to seed and use the rye as mulch.